Research, Research, And More Research

Topic 10893 | Page 1

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Pastor C.'s Comment
member avatar

I have yet to settle on a Company-Sponsored Training I have to go this route because getting a private loan is out of the question. I have settled on two or three companies though first being Schneider, second being Pam, and third being FFE. From what I have read and seen. All starting companies are relatively the same. I have found that you will have to do at least 3 months of otr , this is kind of a trial by fire for most companies. The third thing is, This Job Is What You Make Of It. If you are spending time making, editing, uploading videos on youtube, and then complain that you are not getting paid your at fault.

So I do have a question. I have seen that some drivers are only getting like 200 to 250 a week when they get to go solo. Is this because they are not doing something right or is there just no freight for them to haul? I am not going to be one of those that denies loads. I feel that if you work for a company you are working for that company and if they tell you to go to a place and do a delivery (even though they may have a decline option) you take it.

CDL:

Commercial Driver's License (CDL)

A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:

  • Any combination of vehicles with a gross combined weight rating (GCWR) of 26,001 or more pounds, providing the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of the vehicle being towed is in excess of 10,000 pounds.
  • Any single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 or more pounds, or any such vehicle towing another not in excess of 10,000 pounds.
  • Any vehicle, regardless of size, designed to transport 16 or more persons, including the driver.
  • Any vehicle required by federal regulations to be placarded while transporting hazardous materials.

OTR:

Over The Road

OTR driving normally means you'll be hauling freight to various customers throughout your company's hauling region. It often entails being gone from home for two to three weeks at a time.

Company-sponsored Training:

A Company-Sponsored Training Program is a school that is owned and operated by a trucking company.

The schooling often requires little or no money up front. Instead of paying up-front tuition you will sign an agreement to work for the company for a specified amount of time after graduation, usually around a year, at a slightly lower rate of pay in order to pay for the training.

If you choose to quit working for the company before your year is up, they will normally require you to pay back a prorated amount of money for the schooling. The amount you pay back will be comparable to what you would have paid if you went to an independently owned school.

Company-sponsored training can be an excellent way to get your career underway if you can't afford the tuition up front for private schooling.

HOS:

Hours Of Service

HOS refers to the logbook hours of service regulations.
Anchorman's Comment
member avatar
I have settled on two or three companies though first being Schneider, second being Pam, and third being FFE.

I see you have ruled out some of the more popular ones such as Prime or Swift...What made you settle with the 3 you listed. I'm just curious.

Pastor C.'s Comment
member avatar

double-quotes-start.png

I have settled on two or three companies though first being Schneider, second being Pam, and third being FFE.

double-quotes-end.png

I see you have ruled out some of the more popular ones such as Prime or Swift...What made you settle with the 3 you listed. I'm just curious.

Prime is primarily OTR and being that I have a wife and three kids that one kind of get knocked out. I did look into them, but since they do not have much as for Regional and Dedicated I did not choose them. Swift was more of a gut feeling I guess you could say. I am waiting on a recruiter to call me. I originally looked at Central Refrigerated, but they were bought by Swift. Swift is a huge company with plenty of regional and dedicated routes, I think the pricing plan is what ended up counting them out. for me. The three I did choose, had great cdl training programs with very little if no expenses of my own to start (which is great, raising three children is not cheap).

CDL:

Commercial Driver's License (CDL)

A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:

  • Any combination of vehicles with a gross combined weight rating (GCWR) of 26,001 or more pounds, providing the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of the vehicle being towed is in excess of 10,000 pounds.
  • Any single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 or more pounds, or any such vehicle towing another not in excess of 10,000 pounds.
  • Any vehicle, regardless of size, designed to transport 16 or more persons, including the driver.
  • Any vehicle required by federal regulations to be placarded while transporting hazardous materials.

Dedicated Route:

A driver or carrier who transports cargo between regular, prescribed routes. Normally it means a driver will be dedicated to working for one particular customer like Walmart or Home Depot and they will only haul freight for that customer. You'll often hear drivers say something like, "I'm on the Walmart dedicated account."

Regional:

Regional Route

Usually refers to a driver hauling freight within one particular region of the country. You might be in the "Southeast Regional Division" or "Midwest Regional". Regional route drivers often get home on the weekends which is one of the main appeals for this type of route.

OTR:

Over The Road

OTR driving normally means you'll be hauling freight to various customers throughout your company's hauling region. It often entails being gone from home for two to three weeks at a time.

OOS:

When a violation by either a driver or company is confirmed, an out-of-service order removes either the driver or the vehicle from the roadway until the violation is corrected.

Anchorman's Comment
member avatar

It sounds like you did your research and found the company that best fits your needs, which is exactly what you needed to do! You did not choose one based on reviews or CPM which is what some tend to do.

I think you will find yourself happy at whichever one you choose. I promise the paycheck and miles will be there. If you prove yourself and show you are their to keep the wheels turning you will have no problem at all.

CPM:

Cents Per Mile

Drivers are often paid by the mile and it's given in cents per mile, or cpm.

OOS:

When a violation by either a driver or company is confirmed, an out-of-service order removes either the driver or the vehicle from the roadway until the violation is corrected.

Pastor C.'s Comment
member avatar

It sounds like you did your research and found the company that best fits your needs, which is exactly what you needed to do! You did not choose one based on reviews or CPM which is what some tend to do.

I think you will find yourself happy at whichever one you choose. I promise the paycheck and miles will be there. If you prove yourself and show you are their to keep the wheels turning you will have no problem at all.

Its not about the money with me, it more about the career. I have switched jobs based on money before but was never happy.

CPM:

Cents Per Mile

Drivers are often paid by the mile and it's given in cents per mile, or cpm.

OOS:

When a violation by either a driver or company is confirmed, an out-of-service order removes either the driver or the vehicle from the roadway until the violation is corrected.

Anchorman's Comment
member avatar
Its not about the money with me, it more about the career. I have switched jobs based on money before but was never happy.

I had a college teacher that was talking to our class one time about a specific job and she said "If you're in it for the money, you're in it for the wrong reason". This statement has held true for multiple jobs I have had and this is one of the mottos that I try to live by.

Scott O.'s Comment
member avatar

Not sure where you live but ffe only does the company sponsored program for people that live in tx and Mississippi (I think is the other state)... I didn't know Schneider had a sponsored program... And as a company driver you can't turn down loads... When you first go solo your dm will test you to see if you have what it takes but after that you should be making pretty good money....

Dm:

Dispatcher, Fleet Manager, Driver Manager

The primary person a driver communicates with at his/her company. A dispatcher can play many roles, depending on the company's structure. Dispatchers may assign freight, file requests for home time, relay messages between the driver and management, inform customer service of any delays, change appointment times, and report information to the load planners.
Pastor C.'s Comment
member avatar

Not sure where you live but ffe only does the company sponsored program for people that live in tx and Mississippi (I think is the other state)... I didn't know Schneider had a sponsored program... And as a company driver you can't turn down loads... When you first go solo your dm will test you to see if you have what it takes but after that you should be making pretty good money....

Schneider sponsers through one of my local cdl schools. Well that takes ffe out. Lol

CDL:

Commercial Driver's License (CDL)

A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:

  • Any combination of vehicles with a gross combined weight rating (GCWR) of 26,001 or more pounds, providing the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of the vehicle being towed is in excess of 10,000 pounds.
  • Any single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 or more pounds, or any such vehicle towing another not in excess of 10,000 pounds.
  • Any vehicle, regardless of size, designed to transport 16 or more persons, including the driver.
  • Any vehicle required by federal regulations to be placarded while transporting hazardous materials.

Dm:

Dispatcher, Fleet Manager, Driver Manager

The primary person a driver communicates with at his/her company. A dispatcher can play many roles, depending on the company's structure. Dispatchers may assign freight, file requests for home time, relay messages between the driver and management, inform customer service of any delays, change appointment times, and report information to the load planners.
Scott O.'s Comment
member avatar

double-quotes-start.png

Not sure where you live but ffe only does the company sponsored program for people that live in tx and Mississippi (I think is the other state)... I didn't know Schneider had a sponsored program... And as a company driver you can't turn down loads... When you first go solo your dm will test you to see if you have what it takes but after that you should be making pretty good money....

double-quotes-end.png

Schneider sponsers through one of my local cdl schools. Well that takes ffe out. Lol

Ffe might of changed it so just ask them....

CDL:

Commercial Driver's License (CDL)

A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:

  • Any combination of vehicles with a gross combined weight rating (GCWR) of 26,001 or more pounds, providing the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of the vehicle being towed is in excess of 10,000 pounds.
  • Any single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 or more pounds, or any such vehicle towing another not in excess of 10,000 pounds.
  • Any vehicle, regardless of size, designed to transport 16 or more persons, including the driver.
  • Any vehicle required by federal regulations to be placarded while transporting hazardous materials.

Dm:

Dispatcher, Fleet Manager, Driver Manager

The primary person a driver communicates with at his/her company. A dispatcher can play many roles, depending on the company's structure. Dispatchers may assign freight, file requests for home time, relay messages between the driver and management, inform customer service of any delays, change appointment times, and report information to the load planners.
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